‘CAPTCHA’ WINS BEST MUSIC SCORE AT GIRONA FILM FESTIVAL

November 20, 2015

‘Captcha’, the Film 4 short thriller which Sam has composed the score for has been awarded best music, best film and best cinematography at the 27th Girona Film Festival 2015.

‘Captcha’ has now been screened at a total of twenty four international festivals and has been a winner at the Los Angeles Cine Festival , the Sci Fi film Festival in Australia , the Festival Du Film in France and the Girona Film Festival in Spain, picking up some great reviews for the film and score following it’s online release on We Are Colony earlier this year.

Captcha’s theme of high tech espionage is set in a steam-punked 1940s London and features leading performances from Arthur Darvill and Amy Beth Hayes.

BAFTA award winning director Ed Tracy is best known for his award winning TV shows Fonejacker and Facejacker as well as directing the ‘Flex’ video for Dizzy Rascal.

‘This was a really exciting film to work on for me as it continues the legacy of British spy thrillers which have been a big inspiration to my music since I first saw ‘The Ipcress File’ and ‘Get Carter’. Working with the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra was a great opportunity to realise the score to it’s full potential.’

A feature version of the film is in now in development. For further information visit CaptchaFilm.com

You can watch Sam’s recent interview below on the making of Captcha’s music on We Are colony where you can also purchase the film.

‘I’m very excited to be working with the team at Fairwood and felt immediately at home with the labels unique independent roster and culture. Its a great opportunity for me to consolidate all areas of my writing including songs and music for film and TV.’

Sam mixes new ‘A Silent Film’ EP

April 26, 2015

A Silent Film release their ‘New Year’, EP this week with all four titles mixed by Sam.

The follow up to 2012’s ‘Sand & Snow’ is due April 21 and paves the way for their new LP, which is expected this autumn. The Oxford duo made the record in a studio in El Paso, Texas and it was mixed by Sam at his own Templesound Studios. It includes four new songs, including the current single Tomorrow, which you can check out below.

A Silent Film will embark on a US tour later this month, titled ‘Secret Rooms’.

Sam mixes new GO! Team album

April 25, 2015

Sam has mixed the new Go! Team album ‘ The Scene Between ‘ which has just been released on the Memphis Industries label.

The album was created entirely by Ian Parton who wrote, produced and played all the instruments on the songs which feature guest performances from various vocalists.

According to a press release, Parton’s writing and recording process for The Scene Between entailed four rules: “Melody would guide the song, samples would be treated as an instrument rather than a basis for the song, the production would vary across the song like flipping the dial on the radio and the singers must all be people he’d never previously heard of.”

‘I have worked on several Go! Team albums now and its always a buzz to work on such big, colourful, high energy productions. I worked closely with Ian on mixing this record and for me its the best Go! Team album yet, combining some really cool samples with great songwriting.’

POACHING WARS WITH TOM HARDY

October 3, 2013

Poaching Wars deals the central issues of Rhino and Elephant poaching in South Africa and will be shown on ITV at 9pm on 22nd August.

The music for Poaching Wars was created in a collaboration with Ed Tracy, writer and director of forthcoming Film 4 thriller ‘Captcha’ which Sam has also composed the score for.

‘ It was a pleasure and an honor to work on these films especially as I come from a background of animal conservation having grown up on a wild life reserve.

I think Tom Hardy has done a great job in asking important questions and tackling some very complex issues head on’.

GAZ COOMBES ‘ONE OF THESE DAYS’ / ‘BREAK THE SILENCE REMIX’

Sam produced Gaz Coombes recent single ‘One of These Days’ which picked up extensive radio play.

Sam also features as a performer on the track, playing piano, electronica and contributing the string arrangement .

The single was released alongside a remix of ‘ Break the Silence’ from ‘ Here Come The Bombs’

Bade Van Liemt Album

Sam is in the studio now producing and co writing tracks for Dutch artist Bade Van Liemt’s first solo album. Bade has recently been fronting dance duo Baskerville and was previously front man and principle songwriter with The Shear who released two albums on Universal and one PIAS.

“Working with Bade is a total blast and one of the most fulfilling partnerships I have had in the studio. He is a constant source of energy and positivity which really shines through in his music. I think this will be a great summer record with a really fresh sound. As well as co writing together on his album he has also contributed as a co writer and programmer on two tracks for my forthcoming solo album which I am really excited about “.

Gaz Coombes Presents… Here Come the Bombs

December 11, 2012

Gaz Coombes debut solo album ‘ Here Come The Bombs’ was released on 21st May on Hot Fruit Recordings / EMI to much critical acclaim gaining 8/10 by NME in a review highlighting tracks ‘Simulator’ ‘Break The Silence’ ‘Hot Fruit’ and ‘Whore’, all co-written with Sam. Sam shares a co-production credit with Gaz and also makes guest appearances as a featured player on Drums, Bass, Keyboards and Theremin. ” Gaz started by writing and recording the basis of the record in his own studio and then we moved over here to my Templesound studios to continue writing, recording and mixing .This has been one of the most exciting and inventive records I have had the pleasure of working on – it’s a very cool full circle in terms of us working together and really inspiring to join forces again, his writing and playing have gone into new territory on this record – it’s a very cinematic soundscape “.

Evolution Studios Opens in Oxford

June 28, 2012

Sam has been closely involved in the design of a major new studio – Evolution, now open in Oxford. Working alongside st

udio owner Nick Moorbath and close friend Mark Gardener, he described Evolution as ‘ a great new studio with a classic layout and feel for recording, combined with a contemporary control room that integrates the best of new DAW and old school analogue gear in a flexible way ‘. The Studio is home to a fully refurbished vintage Trident 80b recording console, acquired from the Sawmills Studio in Cornwall where Sam has recorded and produced many albums including the Supergrass debut’ I Should Co Co’. Trident consoles became famous in the 1970’s for the records made on them by artists such as David Bowie, Queen and Lou Reed. ‘ When it came to choosing a desk for the new studio it just had to be the Trident 80b, its one of the definitive great British consoles with

fantastic punch, clarity and superb musical EQ .This desk is actually the sister board of the Sawmills Trident 80b which was used on albums by The Stone Roses, Oasis, Supergrass, Ride and The Verve amongst many others. There are very few of these boards left in the Uk now so we are very excited to have this one at the heart of the new studio’. The new studio has natural light in the control room which looks out over Kings Meadow in Osney and a large chill out room and load in bay adjoining the main studio. The studio has oak flooring throughout and the live area has four isolation booths and a sandstone wall. ‘ When I saw the level that Nick was going to with the studio plans and build I quickly realized that this was not going to be another project studio. Nick is not the kind of guy to do things by halves and he had spared no expense in the materials and build quality. We both saw the potential to create a top quality studio that could restore the experience of recording in a classic tracking room. To this end we have moved much of my vintage recording back line into the new studio, including an Ampeg Classic bass rig and my 60’s Hammond A100 Organ and Leslie 147 ‘ ‘When I first moved to Oxford there were still great studios in the area like The Manor and Chipping Norton. Since they have closed there has been nothing new of the same standard to replace them. I think this will provide a great facility that’s long overdue for the wealth of local artists and bands, as well as a cost effective solution for national artists looking for a premiu

m quality studio within an hour of London.’ For more info go to the Evolution Studio website : http://www.evolutionstudios.co.uk/